Cowboys Trade Amari Cooper to Browns: Worst NFL Deal of the Year?

But even with all we know about how the team soured on Amari Cooper, his trade - and those areas of finance, of timing, and of leverage - really means Dallas struck out in every way.

FRISCO - We have tried to explain, from the inside of The Star, some of the reasons the Dallas Cowboys traded Amari Cooper.

"The money'' is on that list. So is, "Did he quit?''

But that doesn't mean we can explain away why trading Cooper and only netting a fifth-round pick is anything but the worst trade of this NFL offseason.

Cooper, first of all, had his detractors. He sometimes frustrated the coaching staff due to nagging injuries that kept him from practicing. But he nevertheless, during his three years in Dallas, ended up with 292 catches for 3,893 yards and 27 receiving touchdowns.

That's Pro Bowl stuff ... and it compares just fine to the performances of peers like Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill and Marquise Brown, all of whom have been dealt this offseason ...

All of them for more than a fifth-round pick.

Part of Dallas' error here was telegraphing its willingness to part with Cooper - even if that meant cutting him. The Cowboys did try to negotiate his contract down, but Cooper declined, guessing right that somebody out there would be comfortable paying him his $20 million APY.

And in the end, Dallas was able to gain only got a fifth-round pick (and a swap of sixth-rounders) from Cleveland for the four-time Pro Bowler.

That means, essentially, that Dallas traded Amari Cooper for Matt Waletzko, the 6-8 North Dakota tackle drafted in Round 5.

Matt Waletzko is probably not going to be selected for four Pro Bowls.

Meanwhile, of course ... 

Amari and Waletzko

Adams, Amari, Tyreek

Amari's a Brown

*The Packers netted first- and second-round picks for Adams.

*The Chiefs got a first- and second-round 2022 pick, two fourth-round selections and a 2023 sixth-round pick for Tyreek. 

*The Titans got the 18th pick and a third-rounder for A.J. Brown.

*The Ravens got the 23rd pick for Hollywood Brown and a third-rounder.

It stands to reason that had Dallas played this thing closer to the vest, and managed to have some patience ... a Cooper trade gives the Cowboys something more than a fifth-round pick.

In fairness, this isn't as simple as saying, "Amari is better than Hollywood, so the Cowboys should've easily gotten a first-round pick for Amari.'' There are issues of finance, of timing, and of leverage.

But even with all we know about how the team soured on Amari Cooper, his trade - and those areas of finance, of timing, and of leverage - really means Dallas struck out on all three ... and ended up with what is on paper the most lopsided trade of the offseason.

And likely one of the most lopsided trades in Dallas Cowboys history.

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